Air India grounds Boeing 787 aircraft over possible fuel control switch malfunction

Air India has grounded a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner after a pilot reported a malfunction in the aircraft’s left engine fuel control switch, which failed to remain in the ‘run’ position and twice moved to ‘cutoff’ during engine startup, the airline confirmed. 

The aircraft, operating flight AI 132 from London Heathrow to Bengaluru, has been taken out of service as a precautionary measure. Air India said it has informed the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and is working with Boeing, the original equipment manufacturer (OEM), to investigate the issue on a priority basis.

“We are aware that one of our pilots has reported a possible defect on the fuel control switch of a Boeing 787-8 aircraft. After receiving this initial information, we have grounded the said aircraft and are involving the OEM to get the pilot’s concerns checked on a priority basis,” an Air India spokesperson said. 

The airline added that it had earlier inspected fuel control switches across its entire Boeing 787 fleet following a DGCA directive and found no anomalies at the time. 

In a statement Boeing said, "We are in contact with Air India and are supporting their review of this matter."

Why fuel control switches matter 

Fuel control switches regulate the flow of fuel into an aircraft’s engines. They are primarily used to start or shut down engines on the ground, and can also be manually operated in flight during engine failures. 

On the Boeing 787: 

• Each engine has a switch with two positions: ‘run’ and ‘cutoff’ 
• The switches are spring-loaded and located below the thrust levers 
• To move a switch, a pilot must pull it up and then move it, a design intended to prevent accidental activation 

Aviation experts note that an inadvertent movement of these switches is highly unlikely. However, if a switch does move to ‘cutoff’, the effect is immediate — fuel supply is cut and engine power is lost. 

Heightened sensitivity after Ahmedabad crash 

The incident comes amid heightened scrutiny of aviation safety following last year’s Air India Dreamliner crash near Ahmedabad, which killed 260 people, leaving only one survivor. 

A preliminary investigation report released in July 2025 revealed that seconds after takeoff, the aircraft’s engine fuel control switches were briefly switched off, starving the engines of fuel. That disclosure intensified regulatory oversight and renewed attention on cockpit controls, aircraft systems, and maintenance practices. 

While there is no indication that the current incident is directly linked to that crash, the similarity involving fuel control switches has drawn immediate attention from regulators and safety experts. 

Earlier FAA warning on similar switch design 

Concerns around fuel cutoff switch locking mechanisms are not new. 

In December 2018, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB NM-18-33) after some Boeing 737 operators reported improper installation of the locking feature designed to prevent accidental switch movement. 

The advisory noted that: 

• The switches are protected by a lift-and-throw guard lock 
• In some cases, the lock was not properly engaged 
• This raised the risk of unintended switch movement and possible in-flight engine shutdown 

Although no accidental in-flight shutdowns were recorded, the FAA urged operators to inspect and verify the locking mechanism. 

Importantly, the same switch design and part number (4TL837-3D) is used across multiple Boeing aircraft, including the 787 Dreamliner. 

Air India has grounded the affected aircraft, notified the DGCA, and initiated checks with Boeing. Any further action — fleet-wide inspections, operational advisories, or mandatory fixes — will depend on the findings of the ongoing investigation.